Birthday Lunch
by Marymel
Summary: Morgan, Greg and Jackson treat Ecklie to a birthday lunch.


**Jackson is my original character, but that's all I own.**

**I love how the character of Ecklie has evolved over the years, especially since Morgan came to Vegas. And, since Jackson loves his Papa Eckie, I thought it would be cool to have another story with the two of them. Plus I thought it would be cool to post it on Marc Vann's birthday :)**

**Since Conrad mentioned he and Morgan used to enjoy Choozy's Chicken in the season 12 episode "Malice In Wonderland," and the restaurant was mentioned in "Deep Fried And Minty Fresh" in season 9, I thought it would be cool to include it here.**

**Anyway, here's the story. Hope you all enjoy...and pretty please review!**

If you had told the grave shift team that Conrad Ecklie would be a loving, protective dad and doting grandpa, they would have laughed it off. But, with everything that happened - Warrick's death, Grissom leaving, the whole Langston debacle, D.B. Russell coming on board and Catherine leaving - Conrad proved to be a good leader and had come a long way with the team. And since his daughter Morgan Brody had come to Vegas, he had a second chance to be a dad. Now that Morgan and Greg Sanders were raising Greg's son Jackson, Conrad found he liked being part of his daughter's family.

He completed a report on a case the team had closed and sighed as he took a sip of his coffee. Since accepting the job as sheriff, he had more paperwork to deal with. But he didn't mind, since he had his daughter and a new family with the team.

Conrad set down his mug and thought he heard whispering. He turned to see Morgan's adopted son Jackson approach his desk.

"Happy birfday, Papa Eckie!"

Conrad laughed softly as Morgan and Greg came into the room. "Happy birthday, dad," Morgan said with a warm smile.

Jackson walked over to Conrad's chair. "Happy birfday! I made you sumfin!"

"You did?" Conrad asked with a smile as he pulled the happy child onto his lap.

"Yeah!" Jackson took the piece of paper he was holding and showed it to Conrad. "Dis for you!"

"Oh, wow," Conrad said as he looked at Jackson's drawing.

"It say 'happy birfday'," Jackson explained with a smile. "Daddy help me wif da words, but I drew da pictures!"

"This is really good," Conrad said with a smile. "You are a very good artist, Jackson."

"Thank you," Jackson said with a giggle.

Seeing his son on Conrad's lap made Greg smile. Fifteen years ago, when he started at the lab, Greg would never have believed that Conrad Ecklie would be his father-in-law and a doting grandpa. But Greg had grown up with the lab, and he knew Conrad had too.

Morgan couldn't keep the smile off her face as she watched her dad with Jackson. It reminded her of when she was little and would bring dinner from a favorite restaurant when her dad was working late.

"Oh, Papa Eckie, we brought you lunch." Jackson hopped off Conrad's lap and took the bag from Morgan.

Conrad smiled when he saw the bag from Choozy's Chicken, the same restaurant he and Morgan loved when she was little.

"I told Greg we used to have this all the time," Morgan said, gesturing to the bag. "So we thought we'd bring some for lunch."

Greg helped Jackson get the food out of the bag. Jackson studied the containers. "Papa Eckie, do you want some mac an' cheese wif me?"

"Sure," Conrad said with a smile. "But you've got to help me eat some of my lunch, too. Okay?"

"Okay!" Jackson happily took his kids meal and took out his sandwich. "I gunna eat my sammich, too!"

"Good idea," Greg said with a soft laugh. "Don't forget this," he said as he handed Jackson a small bottle of chocolate milk.

"Oh, yeah!"

Morgan had to smile when she handed Conrad his iced tea and watched Jackson sit across from his papa at his desk. Seeing how he loved to be with his family made Greg and Morgan smile with love and pride.

Conrad smiled as Jackson sat across from him and began eating his sandwich.

"Papa Eckie, mama say you an' her had lunch together when she was a little girl."

"Yeah," Conrad said, smiling at his daughter. "When she was about your size, she would bring some lunch if I was working late or if she hadn't seen me in a while. And she always liked the macaroni and cheese."

Morgan smiled at Jackson. "That's right."

Jackson smiled. "I like mac an' cheese too! One time, me an' daddy went to dinner wif Uncle Nicky an' his mommy an' daddy. An' I ate all my mac an' cheese!"

"You did?" Conrad asked with a warm smile.

"Yeah," Greg said. "A few months ago, Nick's parents were in town for a conference. Jacks was at Nick's house when they came over, and we offered to treat them to dinner."

"Yeah, but dey didn't have any chocolate milk," Jackson said as he took a bite of bread.

Morgan smiled softly when Jackson talked about enjoying dinner with his extended family. She and Greg enjoyed seeing Jackson and Conrad together and enjoying the lunch.

Greg and Morgan gave Conrad his birthday card. Jackson smiled. "I hope you like your gift, Papa Eckie. I help mama pick it out."

"You did?" Conrad smiled when he opened the card and saw a gift card to a favorite book store of his. "I do like it. Thank you. Thank you all."

"You're welcome," Morgan said with a smile.

Jackson jumped down from his chair and walked over to Conrad. "Do you like it?"

"I do," Conrad assured him. "And you know what?" Jackson shook his head. "Maybe you can go shopping with me and help me pick something out. Would you like that."

"Okay! Do you like Curious George?"

Conrad laughed softly and pulled Jackson into his lap. "Sure. But I think I may wait and get a Curious George book for you for Christmas. How 'bout that?"

Jackson nodded. "Dat be okay. Do you like your birfday lunch?"

"I do," Conrad said with a warm smile. "This was very sweet of you all. Thank you very much."

Morgan and Greg smiled at Conrad and Jackson. As the two of them chatted happily, they both felt blessed - Morgan at getting a second chance with her father, and Greg at having his son.

Just then, Greg's cell phone rang. "It's Russell. He wants an update on mine and Nick's case."

Jackson pouted slightly. "Daddy, do we hafta go?"

"Well, your mama and I do have to get back to work soon."

"I've got an idea," Conrad told Jackson. "How about we let your dad get back to lab, and you and I get some ice cream?"

Jackson's face lit up. "Yeah!" Looking at Greg, he asked, "It okay, daddy?"

Greg couldn't help but smile. "Sure."

Jackson jumped off Conrad's lap and rushed into Greg's arms. Morgan and Greg both smiled as they saw Greg and Jackson hugging and laughing.

"You let me get back to the lab, and you and mama and Papa Ecklie can go get some ice cream. And then, when I get home, we can read your new book."

"Okay!" Jackson said as he hugged his father. "I love you!"

"I love you, Jacks."

Conrad felt blessed knowing he had Morgan and her family. Seeing Morgan's smile as she watched Greg and Jackson, Conrad felt that he truly was a lucky man.

Morgan glanced at her father and saw him smiling at Greg and Jackson. "What?"

"Just thinking," Conrad said with a warm smile. "You have a great family."

Morgan smiled. "So do you."

**The End.**


End file.
